NORA - NORDIC RESEARCH ON AGING - FUNCTIONAL-CAPACITY OF 75-YEAR-OLD MEN AND WOMEN IN 3 NORDIC LOCALITIES

The aim of this cross-national study was to describe and compare diffe rences in functional capacity of 75-year old people in three Nordic ur ban localities. As the life-expectancy at the age of 75 differs betwee n the Nordic countries, there is reason to look for similar difference s in functional capacity, taking differences in socio-demography, life style, living conditions and health into consideration. In 1989-1991, 400 75-year-old men and women were selected to represent 75-year-olds in a Danish, Finnish and Swedish city. They participated in examinatio ns which focused on functional capacity and health, where identical qu estionnaires, tests, and equipment were employed. The methods employed were developed from the experience gathered during previous studies o f epidemiology of ageing in Glostrup, Gothenburg, and Jyvaskyla. Funct ional capacity is the dependent variable multifactorially related to a ge, health, living conditions, and life style. The data collection was performed with participation rates in the interwiews of 85% in Glostr up, 83% in Gothenburg, and 92% in Jyvaskyla. The participation rates i n the laboratory examinations were 76%, 67% and 77%, respectively. Exa mples of differences in socio-demographic background, lifestyle and me asures of health and performance in the three localities are given. Th e Nordic study on physical, psychological and social capacity of 75-ye ar-olds was performed with sufficiently standardised methods to allow a comparison of the results. Similar comprehensive cross-sectional com parative studies of the elderly people have not been performed earlier . Local and cross-national results will be published in each field sep arately and in combination.